Switcheroo
by TheRealRenee
Summary: Chapter 22 now up \\ CM Punk and Edge awake one morning to discover they have switched bodies. Ashley/Punk, Maryse/Edge, others
1. Chapter 1

_May 2008_

He stood there with a sly grin on his face. This was all just too ridiculous, and he wondered how all these people had been so stupid as to buy the facade all these months.

"And do _you_, Edge, take Vickie as your lawfully-wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part, for as long as you both shall live?"

The tall blond man fixed his facial features so that they were now neutral. Chavo Guerrero, his Best Man, nudged him and whispered something as he handed him the ring. He accepted it and opened his mouth to respond.

"No... He _doesn't_," a heavily-accented female voice suddenly spoke. The three words resounded throughout the arena and were chased by laughter as the diva languidly approached the ring. It seemed too easy a feat in the spike heels she wore.

Edge noticed Vickie Guerrero's face suddenly display an expression of shock, followed by anger. The matronly SmackDown General Manager glanced from her to her fiance in a hurry, questioning him with her eyes before doing so verbally. He could very easily read her lips: "_Honey? What the hell is going on here?_"

Edge ignored the woman in the wheelchair as the gorgeous, statuesque diva made her way into the ring, which had been set up as a makeshift chapel.

Maryse gave him a super-winning smile. She looked possibly hotter than he'd ever seen, in her vinyl black halter top and matching booty shorts, her long platinum blonde hair loose and flowing. And Edge could suddenly not take his eyes off of her. He just wanted to grab her, have her wrap those long, sexy legs of hers around him, and ravage her. She sure brought out the beast in him, unlike any woman since Lita.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Vickie demanded, this time speaking loud and clear into the microphone attached to her dress. She didn't like this one bit. She glanced at her nephew Chavo, who appeared equally surprised but not really angry. From there, she looked over at Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder. Edge's two right-hand men looked surprised, but in a pleasant manner as they high-fived one another. Finally, she glanced up and over her shoulder at Teddy Long, who actually looked somewhat disgusted.

Maryse grabbed hold of the mic that had been situated before Edge, bending over to her and flaunting her generous cleavage as she spoke.

"Guess what? 'Vickiekins?'" the woman snarled, using a term of endearment the blond man had dubbed her with many months earlier. "Wedding's _over_!" With that, the French-Canadian diva swung back her arm and slapped the General Manager hard across the face.

Vickie's hand instantly flew up to her cheek, and she gasped as she stared up at Edge. He was merely standing there with a grin on his face... And then, he started to laugh. It was cold, callous and cruel to her ears.

The priest stood there behind the podium with his jaw dropped, mouth wide open with shock. He had no idea of what to do, as the situation had gotten far, far out of hand.

Edge took the microphone from Maryse's dainty hand, exchanging glances with her for a beat. The diva draped an arm around him as he faced Vickie.

He knelt down to her level, coming eye-to-eye with the woman, barely able to contain his glee as he spoke.

"I think the lovely Maryse has already answered your question, Vickie... The wedding is off." He boomed with laughter as he looked her up and down with disgust. "Did you honestly think I was ever _in love_ with you? That someone like _you_ could ever be enough for someone like _me_?"

By now, the GM was openly crying and not doing anything to attempt to hide that fact. Vickie had her hands up to her face, and she was nearly shaking as his words continued to cut cruelly through her.

"Don't you _get_ it? I never loved you - _never_! I only used you to get back _my_ World Heavyweight Championship!" the Rated R Superstar spat, his face gone angry. "And you actually thought I would go from Lita to _you_?" He laughed. "Talk about lowering my standards, huh?" More laughter followed. "Negative, Vickie! You make me sick! Are you so fat and lazy, you insist on sitting in that chair when you can walk and even _run_?" He shook his head. "You're pathetic... I can't even stand to look at you."

Edge finally turned away from the weeping woman and focused on the blonde at his right. He winked at the smiling diva, then let out a soft growl as he embraced her.

As her now ex-fiance and Maryse kissed and groped one another heavily right before her eyes, Vickie couldn't take it anymore. Turning her head away, she bolted up from the wheelchair and raced up the ramp. She sobbed as she ran to the backstage area, never once turning back to see the spectacle in the middle of the ring.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: I'm absolutely thrilled with how well this story went over in the first chapter! Huge thank yous to Angelwilliamsfan, crazynakedsexpart69, xAttitudex, annskieesofresh, Miss.Cena, SuperT, rory21 and DizzletheLordofSuperstars for reviewing. You guys all reek of awesomeness, as Edge would say! ;)_**

"Ouch!"

CM Punk grimaced as his gaze remained glued on the television monitor. He was currently backstage, in his locker room during the Supershow and had just witnessed the complete shambles of a wedding.

"I can't believe what just happened!"

Punk glanced down at the woman sitting with him, and she straightened up so that her head was no longer resting on his shoulder. Ashley Massaro's jaw hung slack at the shock she felt over what had just transpired.

"You know," she said, turning from the TV to eye her straightedge boyfriend, "in some small way, I actually feel sorry for Vickie."

The dark-haired man shifted his gaze back to the screen for a beat before he met the blonde's blue eyes.

"I hate to admit it, but so do I," he confessed. Sure, Vickie Guerrero had been a horrible General Manager for SmackDown, allowing Edge to run rampant and basically do whatever the hell he wanted. It had been that way ever since he'd come back from his last injury in November. The Rated R Superstar had screwed The Undertaker out of becoming World Heavyweight Champion in his Hell in a Cell match with Batista at Survivor Series, and the situation had only escalated from there. To think that for months on end prior to the man's return, he had been romancing the woman, actually _using_ her to suit his own selfish benefit. How Vickie hadn't seen it with her own two eyes really made Punk wonder... She didn't strike him as being a _stupid_ woman - but she had been naive, and incredibly oblivious.

Ashley sat up a bit more to straddle his lap. She raised her arms, encircling them around his neck, and her pouty lips were close to his mouth as she spoke.

"You wouldn't ever do that to _me_, would you, CM?" she asked.

He smiled as he met her eyes. She was so adorable, yet truly hot as well. He leaned forward, touching her cute little button nose with his own.

"'Course not," he replied. He kept his mouth shut to the fact that he'd probably never be in the kind of scenario to do to her as Edge had done to the SmackDown GM. It wasn't that he didn't love the punk diva... But the truth was, he wasn't so sure he believed in the institution of marriage. However, fortunately, he didn't have to mention that to her - yet. After all, they'd only been dating for three months so far. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind and pressed his lips on hers, kissing her tenderly, then with more passion. Ashley responded in kind, her slender fingers caressing his shoulder-length black hair as she lazily swirled her tongue around his, lingering on his tongue ring. It was a habit of hers that he really enjoyed. But after a moment or so, she pulled back, cocking her head as she gazed into his eyes. She was giving him a questioning look, which sort of freaked him out. Somehow, the girl was damned good at reading him.

"What?" he asked, feigning innocence.

She shook her head, blinking as she continued to stare at him. She wasn't even swayed when he slid one of his hand down to her butt.

"Something's on your mind... I know you," she said. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he stammered, knowing full well he answered too quickly. "Well, that is, nothing but _you_, babe." He winked at her, thoughts of what he would do to her - _with_ her later - running through his head.

The blonde diva's lips spread into a beautiful smile, though Punk wasn't quite sure she truly bought into his response. Nonetheless, she cuddled against him as she settled back again to gaze at the television monitor. Edge was now busy making out with Maryse while Vickie looked on in horror. Seriously, though, he thought it was ludicrous that the General Manager hadn't been able to easily see through the facade that had been her relationship with the Rated R Superstar. The man did what he wanted, _when_ he wanted and never failed to remind the world of that at any given chance. Likewise, Edge was constantly scheming and plotting for his _own_ benefit. Sure, he'd clearly cared about his last girlfriend, Lita, and had gone to bat for her on more than one occasion. But that was different. He'd never even exacted revenge on The Undertaker for giving Vickie a Tombstone all those months back.

As Punk eyed the screen again, he shook his head. Guerrero had evidently had enough, as she'd bolted out of her wheelchair - which, as Edge had pointed out in a not-so-nice way, she didn't need, anyway - and was now running for the backstage area.

Sure enough, as the cameras faded out, they could suddenly hear screaming. It was emerging from the arena hallway, and they both knew it was coming from Vickie.

As their eyes met, Ashley's blue orbs widened, and she rose from the small leather couch upon which they'd been sitting. She had no qualms about getting more of an eyeful of the situation as she opened the locker room door and merely stood in the doorway.

Punk rose to join her, and he put an arm around the blonde, just in time to see Teddy Long attempting to calm the distraught woman.

"I will _not_ calm down!" the General Manager of SmackDown yelled. "Don't touch me!"

Long stood by helplessly, spreading his arms and shaking his head.

"Vickie, please... Let me help you."

"No!" she cried. "Just... Leave me alone." She whirled around to see Ashley and Punk standing in the doorway, obviously eavesdropping, and her sad expression turned furious. "What the _hell_ are you two freaks staring at?!" With that, she stormed away.

Teddy eyed the couple in turn, still shaking his head.

"I tried to warn her," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: Yay, this story seems to be going over pretty well! So happy about that! Thanks to Angelwilliamsfan, xAttitudex, annskieesofresh, Super T and NarutoBleachRules for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are totally awesome! Hope you enjoy this new chappy, and please keep reviewing! Enjoy! ;)_**

Edge laughed along with Maryse as he carried her to the back. Both of them were reveling in their deliciously devious actions.

The Rated R Superstar couldn't have been more happy with how their plan had gone. Maryse had been absolutely perfect in both her timing and with the outfit she had chosen specifically for the occasion. _Then again_, he thought, _when_ doesn't _she look perfect_?

The statuesque platinum blonde let out a throaty laugh that was part-giggle as he set her down on her feet. The pair walked through the hallway hand-in-hand, ignoring the stares of their fellow superstars who had opted to come over and watch them. Just about the one person they paid heed to was MVP, who stood just outside his locker room, clapping and cheering.

On the other hand, Matt Hardy, who'd for over three years been Edge's most hated enemy, shook his head.

"I always knew you were feces, Edge," he muttered.

All his remark earned was a casual glance by Maryse, who then leaned closer to whisper into her boyfriend's ear. Edge met her eyes with merriment and laughter, nodding in agreement with whatever she'd said.

The newly revealed couple continued their way through the hall until they suddenly stopped. The former World Heavyweight Champion pulled the tall blonde against him, and the two made out like hungry animals yet again. Edge even emitted a slightly muffled growl as he devoured his girlfriend's full lips.

"Jeez... Get a room!"

Although Maryse seemed to completely ignore the exclamation, Edge tensed and pulled away from her. With the adoring, gorgeous blonde still in his arms, he found the source of the comment and scowled.

"What's the matter, Punk? Jealous?"

CM Punk snickered at that. The so-called Rated R Superstar was truly pathetic.

"Of _you_?" He smirked at the blond man. "Keep dreaming, Edge." He held the little blonde at his side even closer, his hand on her hip.

Edge delivered a smirk of his own and held Maryse even more closely against him. His face was partially against her hair as he switched his focus to Ashley.

"And you - newsflash! You're _not_ Lita! That woman was one of a kind... Too bad you're just a dime-a-dozen little skank!" He boomed with laughter, and the French-Canadian diva joined in with her giggles. They casually walked away, leaving the other couple alone.

"You bastard..." Punk muttered between clenched teeth. He had instantly seen how the man's comment had affected Ashley. Her jaw had dropped, then she'd raised a hand to her face. He knew she was hurt by what he'd said. He wanted to just run right after Edge and beat the holy hell out of him... But he wasn't going to do that now - not when he needed to comfort his girlfriend.

"Hey." He turned back to the blonde, holding her against him and stroking her short, shaggy hair.

"Wh-what a jerk!" she cried.

Punk pulled back just enough to gaze down into her blue orbs. He was actually surprised she wasn't crying - though he knew she was close to doing so.

"Shh..." he soothed, gently brushing the hair from her eyes. "... He's just trying to piss us off. You _know_ what he said isn't true, Ash."

The blonde raised her gaze to her boyfriend's warm brown eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, I know," she murmured. Still, what Edge had said truly hurt her. Normally, she wouldn't give a crap about anything that man would say - but comparing her to Lita was really upsetting. She had been dealing with such from some of the fans ever since she'd entered the WWE nearly three years earlier.

"I'll show him," Punk said softly in spite of his anger towards the blond man. "I'll challenge him to a match and knock him senseless."

Despite his words, a tiny smile came to Ashley's face. She knew her boyfriend was defending her honor in this, and it made her feel good, like a lady. She tightened her arms around him.

"You're doing this for _me_, aren't you?"

Punk closed his eyes as he deeply inhaled the sweet fragrance of the blonde diva's hair. Strawberries and cream - it was unmistakable. He nodded as he rubbed his cheek against her streaked tresses.

"Damn straight, I am," he whispered before kissing her lips.

Ashley managed a small smile as she responded, kissing him back. He was so good to her, so kind and sweet and chivalrous. She couldn't imagine being with anyone else at that moment.

Little did she know, that was exactly what was in store for her soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: Thanks to RatedRDiva, Keeyrah Alexander, Super T, Angelwilliamsfan, xAttitudex and NarutoBleachRules for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are all awesome! :) Hope you'll all enjoy this new chapter... You should LOVE Punk in this one, as he confronts Edge for what happened in their previous encounter. ;)_**

"Hey, you!"

Aggravated, the man sitting at catering looked up. He rolled his eyes at the owner of the voice.

"That's right, Mr. Rated R Superstar," CM Punk sputtered, "I'm talking to _you_." He inched closer to the other man, no amusement present on his face as he was all business at the immediate moment.

"What the hell do _you_ want, Punk?"

"I want _you_ - in the ring," the straightedger said.

Edge scoffed, letting out a near fit of laughter. He could barely believe his ears.

"What is this, a joke?" he asked. He was practically overcome by his laughing.

Punk stared at him with hardened brown eyes, then shook his head.

"Don't you wish. You insulted my girlfriend. That made her upset... and when she's upset, _I'm_ upset. And I fully intend on rectifying that little problem," the dark-haired man insisted.

Edge stopped laughing long enough to stare at the younger man. He eyed him up and down, not hiding his disdain.

"You're actually serious!"

"Damn right I am. No one talks to my girl like that and gets away with it." Punk cracked his knuckles for emphasis.

The former four-time World Champion stared at him, his face depicting the amusement he felt.

"Well, this is all such a sickening display of bravery," he said, and then the gleeful tone left his voice, "but I don't see your little girlfriend around." He smirked. "I would've thought you would do this in _front_ of her."

"I don't see yours, either," Punk countered. "Where is she, under the table, servicing you?" This time, it was _his_ turn to smirk.

Edge's green eyes widened with rage.

"Don't you dare talk about Maryse!"

"Hey, a spade's a spade. But back on the original topic... You and me - in the ring next week on _my_ show, ECW."

The blond man shook his head as he glared at the other man.

"You're making a huge mistake, Punk... I hope you realize that." When the dark-haired man said nothing to that, the Rated R Superstar went on. "I don't believe this... You're actually _serious_ about challenging me - _me_!" He eyed Punk up and down, sizing him up. When the man had said something about it out in the hallway earlier, he'd thought it was just tough talk, to impress his chick.

"Damn right... And you _know_ I can hurt you."

The former World Champion chuckled again, finding this all amusing. Picking up his water bottle and plate, he rose from the table. Without a word, he dumped the latter into the wastebasket, then faced the dark-haired man with a smirk.

"Like I said, you step in the ring with me, you're making a mistake. Come to think of it," he snarled, his expression growing hard and serious, "you've already made one. No little punk like you is gonna get in _my_ face without paying the consequences. I'll see you out there next week, all right."

After an intense staredown between the two, Edge finally stepped away, leaving catering.

Punk stood there another moment or so, his jaw set, hands clenched into fists. He would have gone in the ring right then and there to teach that smug bastard a lesson, but there was no more room on the card for another match.

"CM!" a voice suddenly called as he heard her running into the room. It was of course Ashley.

He met her blue eyes, and she appeared relieved. She grabbed hold of his hand, tugging it a little.

"I was looking for you," she told him. "What's wrong? Why do you look like that?" She was sure she already knew the answer but didn't want to believe her boyfriend had gotten into a confrontation with Edge.

"It's nothing, Ash," he said, slipping an arm around her. "I just got myself a match for next week's ECW, that's all." A smile returned to his face, but the pretty blonde frowned.

"Please tell me it's not against Edge."

Punk faced her fully. He didn't understand her attitude. Did she not have faith in him?

"Why?" he questioned as they made their way out of the room. "Don't you think I can beat him? Ashley, your boyfriend's pretty damn tough, and you have to realize-"

He cut off his words as a fit of shouting sounded a little farther down the hallway. Vickie Guerrero was screaming at the top of her lungs - at Maryse. The statuesque French-Canadian blonde was mocking her, making talk gestures with her right hand, laughing all the while.

"You bitch! You homewrecking _whore_!" With those words - _wham!_ - the SmackDown General Manager reared back, slapping the taller, younger and much prettier woman across the face. There was so much force behind the blow that Maryse actually fell to the arena floor. Edge suddenly ran over from a bit farther down the hallway to attend to his girlfriend as his former fiancee fled.

Punk turned back to his girlfriend.

"You see that?" he pointed with a grin. "He's got too much drama going on in his life right now. That's why _I've_ got the edge in our match - no pun intended, of course." He winked, and Ashley couldn't help but smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N: Thanks to crazynakedsexpart69, Super T, NarutoBleachRules, Neon Love, rory21 and Dizzle the Lord of Superstars for reviewing the last chapter! You guys totally rock! :) To answer Dizzle's question - the double-switch is coming very, very soon, probably after this particular chapter. I have no explanation for how it happens, either, other than Edge constantly commenting that Punk "wishes" he were him. LOL! Also, with the switch, I've been contemplating switching up the pairings as well. Anyone want to see Maryse/Punk and Ashley/Edge at the end of this whole story? Let me know in your next set of reviews! I'll see if I can figure out how to get a poll up and running in my profile. ;)_**

Punk stood in the locker room, twisting his hands in his usual gesture. He was all set. He had his gear on, the white tape firmly in place around his wrists. He was prepared for his match in that night's ECW main event.

"I still can't believe you're facing Edge tonight," Ashley complained. Her face donned a tiny pout that he'd always found so cute. "I'm sure he's going to cheat and pull some cheap shots on you."

The straightedge superstar came closer to her and placed a hand on her chin. He tipped her face so that she was gazing straight into his eyes.

"Well, of course he will, but I can handle whatever he throws at me." He smiled. "Babe, I'll be fine."

She nodded and offered him a small smile. She couldn't help it when he was like this.

"I know you will," the blonde agreed. "But I still can't help worrying about you."

He moved his hand from her chin in favor of wrapping his arms around her waist. A mischievous grin took residence on his handsome face.

"Well," he said, "maybe I _like_ you worrying about me." He chuckled briefly as Ashley let out a tiny giggle. Their lips met in a sweet yet passionate kiss, and she stroked his dark hair with one hand, pressing up on her toes for a better advantage at his lips.

A moment later, when they parted, Punk kept his face near to hers. Touching the tip of her nose with his own, he murmured, "You really are amazing."

The blonde diva giggled again.

"Am I? I thought that was you."

He kissed her again, this time fast but still full on the lips. He loved everything about Ashley and couldn't be happier. Everything seemed to be great in his life at the moment. And if he were to regain the ECW Championship from Chavo, it would be even better - the proverbial icing on the cake.

A knock came to the door, and he called to the person on the other side.

"You're up next, Punk." It was a stagehand alerting him about his match. He thanked the guy, then took a deep breath and exhaled. He broke away from his girlfriend and started for the door, only to realize she was following him. He gave her a questioning look.

"I'm going out there with you," the blonde said.

"No - you stay here, Ash."

She shook her head, her hands going to her hips in a gesture of defiance.

"Nothing doing. What, you _don't_ want me in your corner?"

"Of course I do," Punk said, gazing at her with his heart in his eyes. "I just don't want anything to happen to you... Maryse is probably gonna be out there, you know."

"I figure she will be," Ashley replied. "CM, I can hold my own with her. If she tries anything, I'll kick her ass."

The man studied her for a beat, considering it. Then, he nodded.

"Okay... C'mon, let's go." He reached out to her, and she took his hand.

--

The Rated R Superstar sneered as the familiar chords of Killswitch Engage filled the arena. He was so focused on the match that was a mere moment or so from happening that he barely reacted when Maryse's slim hands were on him. The statuesque blonde was behind him, massaging his shoulders and whispering in his ear. He couldn't hear her over the music but guessed she was trying to give him encouragement.

CM Punk made his way to the ring with Ashley Massaro at his side. The couple were greeted by a multitude of cheers, and both went to the sides of the entry ramp to high five fans seated or standing there.

Edge's face transformed with a grin as he kept his gaze locked on his opponent for the night. As far as he was concerned, this was going to be an easy win. If Punk really thought he could beat him, he had another thing coming.

Ashley stood by her boyfriend's side loyally, her eyes narrowing as she fixed them on the other diva. As Maryse merely laughed at her, the Punk Princess told her what would happen if she tried to interfere.

The referee signaled for the bell, and the two blonde women left the ring to stand in their respective men's corners. Punk stared at the Rated R Superstar as the two prepared to lock up, throwing a couple of kicks at him. Edge's eyes widened in a glare as he darted out of the way of them.

They locked up, with Punk getting the upper hand first with a hammerlock. The blond man soon reversed it into a headlock and Irish whipped his opponent into the ropes, sending him to the mat with a shoulder block.

Edge couldn't help but laugh aloud at his feeling of triumph. However, as he tried to run to the ropes seconds later, he fell flat on his face as the other man delivered a drop toehold.

Ashley clapped and cheered for Punk and Maryse winced and held a hand to her face out of sympathy for her man. Then, her features hardening, she banged on the apron with one hand.

"Come on, Edge!"

Back up, the blond man met a few martial arts kicks to the gut and shoulder. He could barely recover from each shot before Punk Irish whipped him to the ropes. Edge capitalized on his opponent's mistake of ducking too soon and delivered a swift kick to his shoulder.

Punk staggered backward, in pain. Ashley bit her lip in a wince as her boyfriend clutched his hurting shoulder. Edge came over threw him into the turnbuckles near her corner and punched, chopped and stomped him. The referee admonished the former World Champion, but then he dropped to his knees beside his opponent to choke him.

Ashley smacked the apron, yelling as her man received the vicious punishment.

Edge pulled back, standing with his hands up in a retreating manner. He decided to issue some kicks next, and sent the straightedge superstar sailing out to the arena floor.

The Punk Princess started over to her man, tentative as he rose to his knees. However, she hesitated as the blond man suddenly attempted a baseball slide. To her relief, Punk moved away just in time.

The fight went on back in the ring, with Edge dominating for a good while until he missed a spear and crashed into the turnbuckles. Punk saw his opening as the Canadian turned, his back now to the corner. He nailed his foe with his running knee, then dropped him with a bulldog.

Instinct taking over, the dark-haired man didn't go for the cover... Not just yet. Instead, he picked Edge up, hoisting him onto his shoulders in preparation for his finisher. But the blond Canadian was too quick and craftily reversed it into an Edge-o-matic.

Both men were down on the canvas, and the referee counted. In each corner, a blonde girlfriend stood, each trying to encourage her respective man. Slowly, both wrestlers made it to their feet - just in time to avoid a double KO.

In a flash, Punk grabbed the woozy Edge yet again. As the Canadian squirmed, he managed to nail him with a perfect GTS. He fell onto his opponent, hooked a leg, and it was over - he had won!

Ashley was all smiles as she jumped up and down, clapping. She slid into the ring to celebrate with her man, and Punk hugged her. Afterward, the two left the ring and happily started up the ramp.

Maryse had joined Edge in the ring, the blond man glaring daggers at Punk as he sat up, holding the back of his head. He ignored the diva trying to comfort him for the moment, a string of curses muttering out of him.

_That damn Punk... He just_ wishes _he could be me_!


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: Thanks to Angelwilliamsfan, AshMattXoXo, crazynakedsexpart69, Super T, Neon Love and rory21 for reviewing the last chapter. :) You guys rock as always! I have a feeling you're all going to really like this new chapter. ;)_**

He opened his eyes, his mouth so incredibly dry. Tired... He was very much so as he sat up in the hotel bed.

Glancing around the room, the man felt quite disoriented. He noticed the lump in the bed beside him, completely covered by the blanket. And since when did she sleep like that? He knew she tended to feel claustrauphobic with the covers over her head, and as though she couldn't breathe.

It was so odd... He could swear the room looked completely different! As he kept peering around, he knew he wasn't imagining it.

For a moment, he wondered if he was in fact still asleep and only dreaming. Foolishly, he pinched his own cheek, but no - he _wasn't_ dreaming.

Again, he turned to stare at the blanketed form of the woman still asleep beside him. Something awfully strange was happening, and he wanted to be sure he wasn't the only one who felt that way. He reached over and shook the woman, not even noticing his arm.

"Hey... Baby, wake up."

"Mmm..." The woman stirred and began to turn over, and the blanket slowly came down to reveal her face.

His blood ran cold and his heart damn near stopped... It wasn't Ashley who'd been asleep beside him.

"What the...!"

Maryse smiled sleepily as she gazed up at him.

"Good morning, baby." She reached a hand over to him, but he recoiled in horror, as though she were poison - which, of course, she _was_, come to think of it.

"What the hell is going on?!" he yelled.

The platinum blonde gave him an odd look.

"What's the matter?" she questioned in her heavily-accented voice. "Oh, I know... A hangover. We _did_ party a little too much last night, no?" She emitted a throaty laugh. "Come 'ere, baby."

CM Punk ignored the diva and instead made a mad dash for the bathroom. He nearly tripped on Maryse's heels on the way there.

Once inside, he shut and locked the door, then stood directly in front of the mirror over the sink.

With eyes so wide, he thought they could pop out of his head, he stared with disbelief. He shook his head, telling himself it couldn't be... It simply _couldn't_! The reflection staring back at him was not his own...

... It was Edge.

"This isn't happening," he said aloud. "It _can't_ be happening." But the fact that he was hearing the Rated R Superstar's voice, and not his own, freaked him out even more, because it told him otherwise. This truly _was_ happening, and he was not dreaming, hallucinating or imagining this.

How was this even _possible_?

Punk stared into his - or rather, _Edge's_ - eyes and blinked, uncomprehending this seemingly impossible phenomenon. What happened to his _own_ body? He stared at his reflection, taking everything in - all the tattoos, scars, features, hair and everything else that wasn't his own that belonged to his enemy.

"Hey." Maryse briefly knocked, but then let herself into the bathroom and came up behind him. "Are you okay, Edge? You don't seem like yourself zis morning."

_Lady, you don't know the_ half _of it_, he thought. He glanced at the statuesque blonde behind him in their reflections in the mirror, trying not to shrink away as her hands suddenly touched him. He knew he had no choice but to play along and pretend to be Edge. If he didn't, and if he carried on like he'd initially done in the bed, people would think he was crazy. Of course, that was precisely what this entire _situation_ was, but who the hell would believe him if he said he was CM Punk when he looked like _this_?

Fear swept through him as he suddenly thought about Ashley. What was happening to his girlfriend right at that moment? What if she was in their hotel room, all alone with the Rated R Superstar? What the hell would he _do_ to her? He tried his best to not panic, but it was so difficult.

--

Edge awoke to the annoying sound of a woman humming. At first, he tried to ignore it, shoving his head under a pillow to drown out the noise as best he could - but it didn't work.

Who the hell was making that racket, anyway? It didn't sound like Maryse's voice. He wondered if a chambermaid had been stupid enough to come into the room to clean before he'd even gotten up.

Finally, annoyed more than ever, as the humming continued, the man raised his head to shout at the offender. As it turned out, there _was_ no maid in the room. He caught sight of someone else, though, and thought he was losing his mind. Shaking his head, he rubbed at his eyes, then focused again.

Ashley Massaro, pink, black and blonde hair and all, was listening to her iPod and humming along to a tune as she packed her suitcase nearby. What in hell's name was she doing there?

He was speechless as he watched her, his gaze traveling to the curve of her ass as she swayed a bit to the music. She was wearing one of her typical micro-miniskirts, and he had to admit, she was cute. As he continued to study her, she suddenly turned.

"Oh, hey! Good morning," she said cheerily. A bright smile dominated her face, and she paused her iPod, stepping over to him. She bent over to brush a light kiss across his lips. He was too surprised to even respond. What the hell was going on?

"I didn't know you were up," Ashley continued. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

He blinked, staring at her as though she were an alien with five heads. Aside from the fact that the Punk Princess was here and his French-Canadian girlfriend was not, the room appeared different to him as well.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?!"

The diva frowned as she stared at him. That hurt a little. In the months she'd been dating Punk, he'd never once spoken to her so harshly.

"Wh-What?" she asked timidly.

"Is this a joke? Or am I having a really, really bad hangover?" he asked, mostly to himself.

Ashley cocked her head, eyeing him strangely.

"What are you talking about? You _know_ you don't drink, silly!"

That statement caused the man to narrow his eyes. He bolted up out of the bed and pushed past the blonde en route to the bathroom.

Ashley watched him with confusion as he slammed the door behind him and shrugged. So, he'd gotten up on the wrong side of the bed... It happened. She turned back to her bag to continue packing but nearly jumped out of her skin a moment later as he let out a scream from the bathroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: Thanks so much to AshMattXoXo, Angelwilliamsfan, Neon Love, crazynakedsexpart69, rory21 and Super T for the great reviews for the last chapter! :) I can't stress enough how happy and appreciative I am that you guys are enjoying this story so much, and what a hit it's become. Things are going to get very crazy and silly and confusing (well, for Edge, Punk, Maryse and Ash) in the next few chapters, but you'll love it! ;)_**

Punk felt absolutely disoriented as he sifted through Edge's belongings in the hotel room. Although he couldn't stand the Rated R Superstar, he had to admit, the man had good taste in clothes.

He felt so lost. And hell, how could he _not_ feel that way when he was literally not himself? This was insanity. He just wanted to take a quick shower, get dressed and get the hell out of here. Thank goodness, at least, that ECW traveled with the SmackDown roster. If not for that, he wouldn't have any idea of where he was expected to go that day. But then he remembered that ECW had been the prior night. He didn't have another show to travel to, not yet, and not until Friday. _Oh, jeez_, Punk thought. The superstars were expected to go home today.

Home... That single word sounded so welcoming to his ears, but how in hell was he going to go there when he had no key? He had not one iota of _his_ items and only had Edge's stuff. He supposed he could go there and call a locksmith, telling him he'd locked himself out. But what about his neighbors? If they saw a tall blond man getting into the house, they would think he was a burglar. This was all just incredibly crazy!

On the other hand, he could probably get away with staying at Edge's house as long as he had a key. But how was he supposed to know how to even get there? He didn't even have an address!

_Duh, dumbass... Try his driver's license_! Yes, of course... The wallet was on the nightstand. He would do that later.

Without a word, the confused man turned with an assortment of clothing in hand and hurried to the bathroom. Once undressed, he tried to avoid glancing down at the body that really belonged to his arch nemesis, but that was an impossibility when he had to lather up to wash.

Punk was in the shower not even three minutes when it happened... He thought he heard the door click open but believed he'd imagined it. However, the next thing he knew, a very naked Maryse pushed the sliding glass shower door open to join him. He was so startled, he nearly shouted out. At the same time, he got a very good eyeful of the blonde's voluptuous body, and he was suddenly struck speechless.

"I thought you might want some company," she said in a husky voice. She stood behind him and allowed her hands to slide around to his wet pecs, her fingers caressing.

Punk's heart was hammering so quickly, he was afraid it might actually escape the confines of his chest. Here, he had a beautiful, wet, naked woman in the shower with him, and clearly, she wasn't there for the cleansing alone. Quite the opposite, she wanted to get dirty - but not with _him_. She hated him, and most likely, if he were in his own skin right now, she would recoil in horror and disgust.

"Mmm," Maryse murmured. "You're so tense, baby. Don't worry, I can take care of that." She began to slide her hands lower.

Not allowing himself to give in to anything, he stopped her, gripping both of her wrists. He turned around to see a big smile on the diva's face. She probably thought he'd grabbed her wrists because _he_ wanted to be the one with the control.

"Not now."

"Excuse moi?" Maryse's face looked perplexed. Apparently, Edge had never turned down any of her iniations of sex.

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, relieved that his voice wasn't shaking. "I'm not in the mood right now."

"'Not in the mood?'" she repeated, as though it were a foreign concept. She wiped some water from her eyes and stared at him.

"I really just want to shower and go home."

This time, the tall blonde smiled.

"Ahhh... Okay. So we do it when we get to your house, yes?"

"Huh?" Punk stared at her blankly for a beat.

Maryse pouted this time, and she crossed her arms over her D-cup breasts, squashing them.

"Did you forget? You invited me."

"Oh. Oh, that's right," he said, playing along. Inside, he groaned. This was just great. He was going to have to tote Maryse along to Edge's house? He had hoped to be alone, alone with his thoughts to try and somehow make heads or tails of this... madness. A thought suddenly struck him. "You've been to... my house before?"

She cocked her head as she lathered her hair with shampoo, eyeing him strangely.

"I've been there lots of times in the past six months since we've been dating," she said. "_You_ should know."

"Oh... Yeah," he replied quickly. Somehow, he'd been pretty good thus far at not ogling her beautiful wet body. It was quite the difficult task. "Well, let's finish this shower fast, and then we can get on over there." The way he figured, since Maryse had been to the abode of the Rated R Superstar several times, she would probably know how to get there. He only wondered if once they arrived, she would leave him alone. Something told him the answer was a big, fat 'no.'

_Shit_, he thought. He really, really wanted to see Ashley. He wondered if he could stop off at his hotel room before checkout to see her. He had to at least make sure she was okay. Just knowing she was alone with the likes of Edge was enough to make him crazy. Who knew what the jackass was trying to do to _his_ girlfriend?

As he finished showering - with Maryse doing the same right behind him - Punk made up his mind. First chance he got, he would approach Ashley.

But how would she react to him?


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: AshMattXoXo, Angelwilliamsfan, crazynakedsexpart69, rory21, Dizzle the Lord of Superstars and Super T for the lovely reviews of the last chapter. You guys are all just simply awesome. :) Now it's Edge turn to be all confused and stuff, LOL!_**

Edge stared at his reflection in the mirror, aghast. What in hell's name was going on? How on earth could it be possible?

He was staring back at CM Punk's reflection. Gone was his own curly blond hair, replaced by Punk's straight black. Instead of his own five tattoos, his body was covered by _many_! Clear as day, on one shoulder, was the Pepsi logo. _Damn it, I_ hate _Pepsi_! the Canadian thought. He was definitely a Coca Cola fan. And how could anyone be so dumb as to get a soda logo tattooed on themselves, anyway?

"Are you okay in there?"

The bathroom door suddenly opened, and Ashley entered with a concerned look on her face. She looked him over as he stood staring into the mirror above the sink, noticing nothing awry - at least not in _her_ eyes.

"Hey..." She touched his shoulder, noticing instantly how tense he was.

The man turned at the feel of the small hand on his shoulder, staring at her. He recoiled as though burned.

"What is this?!" he asked.

The blonde diva shrugged.

"What?" she asked, not comprehending.

"I mean," he went on, looking hard into her eyes and practically cornering her against the door, "is this some kind of joke?!"

Ashley wasn't exactly scared, but at the same time, she _was_ alarmed, as she'd never seen Punk like this before. She shook her head, her eye contact steady as she shrugged again.

"I really don't know what you're talking about, baby." She cocked her head, frowning. Someone certainly woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. She'd seen him grumpy, but never like _this_... It was as though he'd traded in his personality for that of someone else. It was strange.

Edge turned briefly back toward the mirror. A quick glance at his reflection showed that nothing had changed in the couple of minutes or so since the woman had entered the room. Wide-eyed, he turned back toward her.

"What did you do?" he spat, the accusatory tone clear as a bell. "Are you a witch or something? Did you cast a spell or _curse_ me?!" He was so enraged, he pretty much wanted to wring her neck!

Ashley shook her head, and this time, she appeared the slightest bit frightened. She was at a loss for words as she stared up at him, her mouth opening but no words emerging.

He again turned his focus on the mirror. That damn reflection still showed. Was he in _The Twilight Zone_? And where was Maryse? Where was Punk? He had to guess they were together... His right hand clenched into a fist. If that miserable Punk tried anything with _his_ girlfriend, he would tear him limb-from-limb!

"CM, you're scaring me."

Ashley's voice brought him back, and he turned his head to stare at her. She was standing almost up against the door, her face looking concerned as she eyed him. Edge had to admit to himself, she _was_ pretty... Even if she _was_ a Lita wannabe, there was no denying that fact. He wondered why on earth she had ever given a loser like Matt Hardy the time of day.

"Um... Sorry," he said, finally calm. Something extremely - maybe even supernaturally - weird was going on, but it certainly wasn't the Punk Princess' fault. At the moment, he decided that, since he already _looked_ like CM Punk, he might as well pretend to _be_ him as well. After all, what choice did he have, anyway? He sure as hell couldn't act like The Rated R Superstar looking like this! He cast in his mind for some excuse, even a flimsy one.

"It's just... I had a nightmare," he said.

The young woman studied him intently and cocked her head.

"A nightmare?"

"Yeah," he replied, running a hand through his hair. It felt odd that his fingers were stroking straight hair when he was of course used to fine curls. "And I woke up all disoriented and stuff." He shifted his gaze to her. "So, once again, I'm sorry," he said.

Ashley visibly calmed down, a smile coming easily to her face. She edged closer to him and, to his shock - well, not _really_ shock, since she did believe he was her boyfriend - wrapped her arms around him.

He kept his own arms pretty loose for a beat, as the initial uncertainty of the situation hit him. This woman was not his girlfriend, and he didn't even like her. He wished Maryse was there with him instead.

"It's okay, babe," she said softly, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "I totally understand."

"You... You do?" Edge was flustered as he stared into her sparkling blue eyes.

"Of course." She grew a bit softer as she suddenly reached up, trailing her fingers through his hair. And as she suddenly stood on her tiptoes, the man knew she was going to kiss him.

_Oh, lord_... Edge thought as Ashley's lips were suddenly on his. He kept his eyes tightly shut, trying to imagine that it was Maryse in his arms. But that was an impossible feat. The French-Canadian was a lot taller and kissed very differently than the punk diva did.

However, as much as he hated to acknowledge it, kissing Ashley Massaro was in no way a _bad_ thing.


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: Thanks to Super T, crazynakedsexpart69, Dizzle the Lord of Superstars, Ainat, AshMattXoXo, rory21 and xAttitudex for the last set of reviews. You guys are all awesome! :) To answer Dizzle's couple of questions plus another I know you're all thinking, 1-I haven't yet figured out who the "string master" is and actually never even thought of having someone in particular responsible for this weird switch; 2-Nah, I don't see Edge and Punk forming some sort of alliance, though I do have plans in mind for Edge reuniting with someone during his ordeal. :P And finally, I'm going to keep mum about whether or not the pairings are going to switch by the end of the story. I'd rather keep you all on your toes and maybe pull out a few surprises here and there. ;)_**

Punk could barely look at Maryse. Well, that wasn't entirely true... But after the shower, it was increasingly difficult for him to not picture her naked. Every time he laid eyes on her, he would tear his gaze away. It sucked. He had to admit, she was a beautiful, sexy woman - but she was a bitch, and he couldn't stand her.

With the tall blonde diva chattering up a storm, they left the hotel room. They were heading down to the cafe for breakfast, then returning for their stuff and taking off for his... rather, _Edge_'s house.

"Why don't we go rollerblading later?" Maryse suggested, her long, slender hands grasping his upper arm. She looked excited, which was the exact opposite of his current feeling. Hell, he didn't even know how to rollerblade.

"Err... We'll see," was all he could say. This sucked beyond belief. He was starving, and all he could think of besides eating was seeing Ashley.

It was strange, how things worked. As it was, he noticed the punk diva sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant as they approached. She was slightly facing in his direction, but the creepy part was that he was staring at the back of his own head. And then, the guy suddenly rose and got out from the booth... It was _him_. Well, not really - but physically, it was CM Punk's body, all right.

His mouth ran dry. It was unnerving, to say the least. He knew it was Edge who had just walked away and to the men's room. He hadn't noticed him at all. Suddenly, he felt his appetite slipping away.

Punk and Maryse were quickly seated at a table, one that was not too near that at which Ashley sat. Damn it... If only he could get up and approach her.

An idea swiftly coming into his head, he looked across the table at Maryse. Squinting at her, the woman's attention came fast.

"What is it?" she asked in her thick accent.

"Your mascara... it's run a little," he lied.

"Oh." The statuesque diva reached into her purse in an instant.

Punk realized she was searching for a compact or mirror. He reached across the table, placing his hand on her arm.

"No, I think you'll need a bigger mirror. Go to the ladies' room."

She stopped rummaging and smiled at him.

"Okay, I will." She glanced at the menu, which was closed, as she hadn't gotten the chance to browse it. "Please order for me French toast, okay?" she said.

He nodded.

"You got it."

The moment Maryse was gone, he scrambled up and briskly walked over to Ashley's table. He didn't see himself - _Edge_ - anywhere, so he sat down across from her.

The blonde's eyes narrowed with suspicion the instant he came into her line of vision. She looked annoyed, and Punk had to remind himself of the reason for it.

"Excuse me? What do _you_ want?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "To insult me again, call me a Lita wannabe?"

He ran a hand over his hair and quickly shook his head.

"No, no... not at all. Of course not." Damn it, he looked and sounded like Edge... So, of _course_ she was going to eye him with disdain. "I just wanted to see how you're doing." He chanced a glance over his shoulder, in case the other man was returning. "Are you okay, Ash?"

She glared at him with hatred as she replied.

"First off, don't call me that. My friends, fans and my boyfriend are the only people allowed to call me 'Ash.' And since when the hell do _you_ care about how I'm doing?" she shot, looking him up and down a little.

Punk's heart sank.

"Get lost," Ashley spat. She looked somewhat past him. "My boyfriend will kick your ass if he sees you, and... here he comes now."

He looked up and over his shoulder again. And sure enough, his own likeness was heading over. Sighing, he rose and left the table, frustrated.

He returned to his own table and looked down sadly, hopelessness overtaking him. He wished he could have had the chance to tell Ashley the truth... but she wouldn't have believed him anyway. Hell, _he_ could still barely believe it.

About a moment later, he felt a slight breeze at his side as Maryse returned. She sat across from him and gave him an odd look.

"My mascara was fine."

He played dumb for appearance's sake.

"Oh, it was?" When she nodded, he continued, coming up with a very lame 'explanation.' "Must have been the lighting in this place."

"Can I take your order?" a waitress asked.

Maryse glanced from the woman to the man she believed to be her boyfriend. She would have sworn he had already ordered, but apparently not. Something was strange, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The service was really bad here... But no, that wasn't all. She had received a call on her cell phone while she'd been in the ladies' room, and she hadn't recognized the number. And when she answered, the person hadn't spoken.

The blonde missed the looks tossed her way by the man seated some ways across the restaurant. However, with his dark straight hair and lip ring, she never would have glanced his way in the first place.


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N: Sorry for the month-long gap between updates. I promise, the next time I update this story, that will NOT happen. Thanks to Neon Love, Super T, xAttitudex, rory21 and AshMattXoXo for the last batch of reviews. You're all still so awesome! :) Hope you enjoy this new one. ;)_**

Edge mentally cursed as he cast a quick glance over at Punk. As he'd been returning from the men's room with his cell phone in hand, he'd seen what the prick had done. He'd come over to _his_ table to talk to Ashley.

The Rated R Superstar couldn't care less about that. But when Maryse was eyeing that man the way she did _him_, it was an entirely different story. And he didn't like it one bit.

He glanced down at the cell phone in his hand. He'd tried calling his girlfriend moments earlier, fully intent on telling the French-Canadian diva the entire truth. She had answered but naturally thought he was a wrong number. And, unfortunately, since he was currently in possession of Punk's voice, he pretty much _was_ exactly that. Hell, it wasn't even _his_ phone, it was Punk's.

"Hey," Ashley said, bringing him out of his bitter thoughts. She cocked her head to study his brooding face. She reached across the table for his hand. "Wow, you're so tense today. Maybe when we get back to your place in Chicago, I'll give you a massage."

The man met her blue eyes and prettily smiling face. It sounded like an appealing offer - after all, she was _still_ a smoking-hot chick - but he just wanted his Maryse. It hurt not to be able to talk to her and hold her like he wanted to. Bitterly, he wondered if this was some sort of stupid revenge on him for what he'd done to Vickie. _But that bitch_ deserved _what she got_! he thought, his free hand clenching into a fist.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind for the time being, he forced a smile he didn't feel.

"That sounds good," he said as he faced the Punk Princess. Yeah, he actually _wouldn't_ mind getting a massage out of her.

The blonde's mood soured a few notches as she noticed, in the corner of her eye, the other two as they started to leave. She turned her head in their direction to exchange glances with the man, her gaze hostile. Once they were out of the hotel's restaurant, she turned to the man at her side, reaching for his hand.

Edge glanced down at her, dumbstruck as the petite diva grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers into his. Only then did he become aware of the small scowl that crossed her face.

"CM, there's something I have to tell you," she started. She hadn't wanted to upset him or anything, but she had a strange feeling in her gut... After all, what if The Rated R Superstar decided to start stalking her or something? Their little encounter, for lack of a better word, moments earlier, had her creeped out.

"What is it?" he questioned, frowning. Lord, it was going to take some getting used to, being called 'CM' and stuff. And frankly, he hated it. 'Edge' was worlds better - not just the name, but in _every_ single imaginable way.

"Well," Ashley said, her facial expression softening somewhat, "just promise me you won't get mad."

"Okay... fine," he said. _Come on, out with it already, you poseur_! he thought. She was cute and sexy and all that, but he found her annoying.

"Edge approached me when you were in the bathroom," she revealed, her eyes widening. She shook her head. "Can you _believe_ that? He said he wanted to 'talk' to me. And what the hell could he possibly have to say to me? _Me_?" She rolled her eyes.

Edge stared at her, his gaze hardening at her words. So, she thought it was _him_, and she didn't want _him_ approaching or talking to her? Who the hell did she think she was? This little blonde hosebeast wasn't even worthy of breathing the same air as him! But then, he had to stop himself from laughing out loud as he reminded himself that the person she was talking about was really Punk. It was pretty delicious thinking of the man's girlfriend telling him off... _Aww_, he thought, _I bet it broke his straightedge little heart_!

His expression softening, he shook his head and faked looking concerned.

"Ashley, did that bastard hurt you?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "But it was _so_ strange. It was like he wanted to tell me something."

Edge shifted his gaze elsewhere, knowing the feeling. If only he could speak to someone - someone he trusted more than anyone else... His mom? Maybe. And then, suddenly, the visage of another woman he'd loved more than life itself popped unbidden into his head. If only he could somehow talk to _her_. He knew she would understand, not to mention _believe_ him. This woman knew him probably better than just about anyone else on earth, and if he just had the chance to talk to her, he _knew_ she would believe him. Although the one problem in that could be the fact that his voice was CM Punk's. What about email instead of a phone call? No, that wouldn't work. She would read it and think he'd gone crazy - in a literal sense.

All of that into consideration, Edge made up his mind. At the first chance he got to be alone, he would call Lita.


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: Thanks to Super T, crazynakedsexpart69, Dizzle the Lord of Superstars, Rated-R-Enigma, AshMattXoXo and rory21 for the reviews of the last chapter. ;)_**

Edge tried to keep the scowl he felt off his face. It wasn't at all easy as he left the airport and took to the streets of Chicago.

He'd never liked this city. It was dirty and dingy and windy, and he longed to be in Toronto or sunny Tampa, Florida. He'd made sure to bring Ashley along with him solely because she knew Punk's home - as his girlfriend, she obviously had been there plenty of times and knew how to get there. Plus, he didn't think he could get away with being in his own house looking the way he did now.

Ashley was insisting upon holding his hand as they walked the rest of the way. He had brought up the idea of taking a cab, but she pointed out that they were mere blocks away from his house. It felt strange to be walking with luggage and holding hands with the punk diva.

Obviously, Edge didn't know what to expect as they continued their trek. He didn't even know the address, so he just let Ashley lead the way. After awhile, she made a right turn and headed for a neat condominium. Instantly, he followed along, and it seemed she was none the wiser.

He reached into his pocket for the keys, dismayed to realize they weren't there. Damn it... Where were they? He hadn't the foggiest notion of where the former ECW Champion liked to keep his keys!

Smiling nervously as Ashley, he said, "Must've left them in my suitcase."

The blonde playfully rolled her eyes.

"Nevermind... I'll use my set." She dug into her purse and came up with her own key ring. He took careful notice of the one she selected as she placed it into the lock of the front door. "Here we are," she cheerfully said, and they went inside.

A mostly black cat with a small patch of white on its chest stood a few feet away. It watched them, and Edge watched it back, a crushing feeling suddenly coming over him.

_Oh, crap_, he thought. He was severely allergic to cats. It was so bad, he couldn't be around them at all. Damn that Punk! It _figured_ he would have a cat for a pet.

"Here, Fluffy!" Ashley called. She bent over, putting her hand down as she made kissing noises to the feline. However, the cat instead hissed and turned to run the other way.

"That's strange," the diva said, "she's usually so friendly." She shrugged and concentrated on pulling her suitcase farther into the house instead.

Edge was glad Fluffy took off. He would prefer it if she stayed away from him. But, oddly enough, he didn't notice any sort of allergic symptoms. Normally, he was a mess in a place that had a cat, but he felt perfectly fine. Then again, he'd never had CM Punk's body before. Madness... It was sheer madness!

When they seemed to be settled in about a half-hour or so later, Ashley made a small announcement.

"I'm gonna go take a shower."

He nodded, actually feel a bit giddy by this news. Now was his chance!

As the blonde headed into the bathroom minutes later, the Rated R Superstar snatched up his cell phone and went to another room. Finally, he had a moment to call Lita!

Edge held his breath as it rang on the other end. And then, he heard her answer her phone.

"Hello?"

"Amy... Hi, it's me!" he said in a loud whisper.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"'Me' who?" she asked.

"It's Adam," he replied nervously.

"What? You're not Adam," the woman responded. "I know Adam's voice anywhere, and yours is _not_ it. What is this, a crank call?"

Edge groaned inside, fearing his ex-girlfriend was about to hang up.

"Wait! Amy, please... hear me out. I know I don't sound like me, and I know you think this is a joke, but it's _not_." He heard her take a breath on the other end and continued. "The impossible has somehow happened," he said, "and I don't know how to explain it. But I... I need to talk to you."

"If that's really _you_, then what's up with your voice?"

"It's a long and crazy story. Can we... meet up?"

"Okay." It seemed there was some uncertainty in her voice. "As long as it's in a public place." Obviously, she wasn't completely convinced it was him and preferred to be safe.

He grew startled as he suddenly realized Ashley was apparently through with her shower. He could hear the bathroom door opening.

"Err... I gotta go. Please - call me back at the number I just called you with." A moment later, they ended the call, and he hung up.

Edge forced a smile as the blonde came over in just a towel, another, smaller one wrapped around her head. For a split second, he wondered if he was going to get to see her naked. As tempting as that thought was, though, he had more pressing matters on his mind.

"Who was that?" Ashley asked.

"No one," he replied quickly. "Telemarketer."

She gave him an odd look.

"I thought it was illegal for telemarketers to call cell phones."

"Yeah," he said dismissively. "I... I'm gonna step outside for some air."

As he hurried away from her and out the front door, the diva stared after him with suspicion. Something was definitely up with Punk, and she just hoped he wasn't cheating on her.


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: I am SO sorry it took awhile to get a new chapter up... I actually do have quite a lot of this story written out on paper, and I have been writing still more for it pretty often these days. Hope you all forgive me! Thanks to xAttitudex, caeubona, Edward's Josie Black, Super T, purplefeather21 and rory21 for the last set of reviews. You guys still totally rock! I hope you like this new part! :)_**

"Here we are."

Punk eyed Maryse briefly before turning his gaze on the spacious house. It was quite luxurious from what he could see from the exterior. He tried not to scoff as he thought of how much it figured that the Rated R Superstar would overdo it to that extent. Punk was happy with his modest condo back in Chicago... and then his mood took a definite nosedive as he felt homesick.

And who was he kidding? He wasn't merely homesick. He missed his clothes, his own tattoos, his own damn body and his girlfriend. His heart sank as he thought of Ashley spending all this time with that slimy Edge. What if he tried putting the moves on her? She wouldn't have a clue that it wasn't _him_ she was doing stuff with!

"You okay?" Maryse asked, her hand going to his shoulder in a gentle manner.

The man turned to eye her, finding that the French-Canadian woman's face was filled with concern. He glanced down at his hand, which held his - or rather, _Edge's_ - keys, but he'd stopped and lingered just before the door. Sighing, he shook off his foreboding thoughts for the time being.

"Yeah," he said, giving her a smile to save face. "I'm fine." He faced forward again and tried to turn the key in the lock... It wouldn't budge.

The blonde bombshell gave him an odd look as he examined the key ring.

"Oops... Wrong key," he said nervously, hoping she wouldn't catch on. He fumbled around and selected another one, silently praying it would be the proper key.

Punk wasn't religious by any means, as he was a 'practicing' agnostic - but apparently, someone or something answered him. He managed to turn that key in the lock and heard a definitive click.

_Thank you_, he thought, not quite sure who or what he was thanking. He pushed the door open, and Maryse headed in with her wheeled suitcase before him.

Two dogs were barking up a storm somewhere deeper within the house. He could hear them getting nearer as he stepped over the threshold. One of them definitely sounded to be of a large breed. He liked dogs but was definitely more of a cat person. At that thought, he felt sulky all over again as he hoped his cat, Fluffy, was okay.

"Hi, Luger and Branny!" Maryse cried as she knelt down to greet the animals. They ran right to her, tails wagging, as she stroked them.

Punk smiled. It was actually kind of cute to see her so friendly toward a pair of canines.

As he stood there, he suddenly realized the blonde was eyeing him. She turned back to the dogs - a yellow Lab and a tiny white poodle.

"Go on and say hello to Daddy!" she quipped.

The dogs seemed cautious, even wary, as they stepped closer to him. He bent over, more to their level, and tentatively put out a hand.

"Hey there, boys. Branny... Luger." He made sure to use the names with which he'd just heard the diva address them.

Maryse frowned at the very odd exchange.

"_That's_ Branny," she said, pointing to the poodle. "And _that's_ Luger."

Punk swallowed, hating the nerves he was feeling. The dogs didn't seem too warm toward him, either, as both turned and trotted away. Well, at least they hadn't growled or barked at him... _or_ bit him. The man sighed.

"I'm a little tired," he announced, hoping the diva wouldn't question him. He supposed he could figure out on his own where the bedroom was located.

"Wait," Maryse called as he started out of the living room, "you have a message." She pointed a manicured finger at the answering machine.

"Oh. No biggie," he said, waving it off. "I'll listen to it later." He turned and went in the direction of the kitchen, which he'd happened to notice a moment earlier, when he'd started to leave the room.

The statuesque blonde shook her head, deciding to do the honors herself. So, as he disappeared, she hit the 'play' button on the machine to hear her boyfriend's messages.

_"Hey, Edge. It's me. I know you said to call you at that strange cell number, but my own cell phone shut itself off... So, I lost the number."_ A sigh sounded from the woman on the message. _"Anyway, give me a call back - you know my number, and we'll definitely get together."_

Maryse stood there, rooted to her spot on the floor, her jaw hanging slack. She _knew_ that voice! She'd been over at OVW during the time that woman had still been in the WWE, but she knew without question to whom that voice belonged...

... Lita. Edge's former longtime girlfriend.

Outraged, the tall blonde began to shout as she ran to the kitchen to confront the man.


	13. Chapter 13

**_A/N: Happy New Year! :D Thanks to Angelwilliamsfan, OomphKiddo, Neon Love and rory21 for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are amazing! :) Here is more Punk and Maryse this time around, but not to worry - Edge and Ashley will be back next chapter. ;)._**

Punk nearly jumped three feet in the air when he felt a hand swat him in the back of the head.

"Ow!" he groaned, whirling quickly around to see a furious Maryse. "What was that for?!" He looked the woman over. What was she, crazy?

"You called your ex-girlfriend?!" she screeched, her brown eyes full of indignation as she glared at him.

The man was momentarily lost. What in hell could she be talking about? Then, he had to remind himself that the diva thought he was Edge - and that explained a lot. He'd figured the Canadian wasn't called the "Rated R Superstar" for nothing.

"You got a message on your machine," Maryse elaborated when he merely looked at her. "It was from Lita! How could you!" She smacked at him with her slender hands again.

Punk tried backing away from her, but she wouldn't relent. Finally, he grabbed hold of her hands, securing a tight grip on her wrists.

"Whoa, stop it!" he exclaimed. He'd had just about enough. The French Canadian was very beautiful - as a guy, he couldn't deny that... but in spite of her seeming delicateness, she also hit surprisingly hard! He had a bad feeling that this one could lash out and sting a man with a deadly venom if truly angry. Obviously, Edge must have called Lita, and she'd called him back.

"You don't believe me?!" Maryse's expression was a cross between imploring and enraged.

"I didn't call Lita," he said calmly. Well, that much _was_ the truth. _He_ didn't, even if Edge _did_.

The tall blonde stared at him, and he couldn't make heads or tails of what thoughts might possibly be running through her mind. She cocked her head and studied him. Then, crossing her arms over her ample chest, she spoke again.

"You didn't? Really?"

"I really _didn't_," he replied.

She seemed to consider his words, and after a beat, a smile came to her face. Maryse's body language drastically changed as well, and she stepped nearer to him, appearing happy as she suddenly threw her arms around his neck.

"Aw, so you _do_ love me!" she cried, and she kissed him on the lips. Her actions were so extremely fast that Punk didn't even have a chance to stop her. He didn't exactly kiss her back, either, but the blonde was so oddly happy so soon after being so furious that she apparently didn't even notice.

Punk stared at her, feeling an overwhelming urge to wipe off his lips. He could hardly believe the witch had even touched him, let alone kissed him. He wished he were with Ashley, but it was at least the thousandth time he'd wished that by now.

And Maryse was downright scary... To go from being so enraged to suddenly elated the way she had was just not normal. If anything, it was a tad bit bipolar. He shuddered inside at that thought.

As Maryse suddenly busied herself with something in the living room, Punk couldn't help but think of Ashley again. What was she doing at that moment? Was she still with that skunk Edge? Was he mistreating her? Was he plotting a way to get into her pants? It filled him with fury to think of the last three concerns. Then, he suddenly grew fearful for a whole different reason...

... If Edge had called Lita and he was with Ashley, what would she think if she were to find out? Damn it, what if she thought that _he_ - CM Punk - was plotting a rendezvous with the former diva and cheating on her? It was a very frightening though. If his girlfriend were to break up with him when he wasn't even _there_ and wasn't doing anything, it would sting like nothing else.

There had to be a way to contact her without arousing suspicions, and without her thinking he was Edge.

He stood in the center of the Rated R Superstar's living room, turning in a circle as he glanced over the surroundings. And then, as he gaze fell on an object, it hit him.

He would send her an email.


	14. Chapter 14

**_A/N: Thanks to Instant Classic Superstar Pac, Super T, Angelwilliamsfan and rory21 for the last set of reviews. You guys still totally ROCK! ;) I just wanted to clarify something from the last chapter... Yes, Punk is thinking Maryse is a bit bipolar - but she isn't _really_, it's just Punk's impression at that moment, thanks to her abrupt change of mood. LOL, I just wanted to clear that bit up! =P Anyway, here we go with more Ashley/Edge time. Enjoy! :)_**

Edge drummed his fingers nervously on the table in Punk's small dining area. You couldn't even really call it a dining _room_, it was so meager.

He was getting antsy. What the hell happened to Lita? He'd called her hours earlier, and she'd promised to call him back. Yet, he was still waiting.

Pushing back the chair as he abruptly stood up, he was feeling more on edge - no pun intended - than ever. He had to get out of this damn house and call his redheaded ex-girlfriend again.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ashley asked, her gaze following him as he started for the front door.

The man stopped in his tracks, reluctantly turning back.

"Out... Just for awhile. I'll be back soon."

The blonde didn't leave it alone and gave him an odd look.

"Well, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to go and..." He quickly cast around through his mind for an excuse. Then, "... buy some more cat food."

Ashley frowned as she turned in her chair to fully face him.

"But Fluffy has plenty of food already," she said. "I saw an entire carton of cans in the hallway closet."

Edge stood perfectly still and tried to pace himself. He found it increasingly difficult not to completely lose his cool and let the blonde see some of his wrath. Why did she insist on making things so complicated for him? He wished he were with Maryse instead. If he were, lord knew that he would certainly not be in the ridiculous bind in which he found himself now.

"I still need to go to the store," he said lamely.

"Oh, well, why don't I go with you?" the little blonde said. She stood and made her way to him.

Again, Edge had to reign in his temper, which was flaring up by the second. He was really losing his patience with this girl.

"No," he said, "you stay here."

She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look.

"I won't be long," the man said. "I'll be back before you know it. Just stay here and relax. Make yourself at home and all that." Inwardly, he thought, _If only_ I _could feel at home_. He really wished he could, but at his _own_ house. He hated Punk's silly little house! He really felt as though he could use a beer, but naturally, there was none. Instead, there was plenty of Pepsi. God, he _hated_ Pepsi! It had nothing, absolutely _nothing_ on Coke!

Ashley reluctantly agreed and settled herself back into the living room. However, she still gave him an odd look as she sat down on the sofa and flipped on the TV set with a remote control. She knew something weird was up with him, but she just didn't know what.

Edge exhaled a sigh of relief as he stepped outside. Naturally, he wasn't really going to the store, but Ashley didn't need to know that. He'd noticed a supermarket or convenience store a few blocks away as they were coming here, but he knew this neighborhood like a hole in the wall. What if he were to go there and then get lost on his way back? How the hell would he ever be able to explain that?

Of course, it was very tempting to go and at least get a beer. It wasn't like he would be easily able to do that while he had that damn Lita wannabe hanging around him for who knew how long!

With that thought, he remembered why he'd left the house in the first place. He reached into his jeans pocket for the cell phone and flipped it open, quickly dialing her number.

"Hello?"

Walking briskly down the block, the man nonetheless kept his voice down to a loud whisper.

"Lita, it's me!"

"'Me' who?" the woman asked.

"Damn it, Amy... You were supposed to call me back!"

"Edge?" She'd forgotten his voice would sound so different. Well, he _had_ told her he was in some kind of freaky trouble.

"Yeah, it's me," he said. He kept walking, his tone increasing in volume as he went farther and farther away from the house. "You didn't call me back."

"Yes, I did," the redhead insisted on the other end. "I called your home number and left a message on your answering machine."

Edge stopped dead in his tracks.

"You _what_?!" Damn it, that meant Maryse must have heard it... After all, she tended to go back to his house on occasion after SmackDown. Undoubtedly, she'd probably insisted on going back there with that damn Punk. "Lita, I told you to call me at _this_ number!" he whined.

"I lost the number," she murmured in a calm voice. "But I still _called_ you, so you can't be mad at me."

The Canadian frowned and somehow refrained from audibly grumbling. Lita probably didn't even know about Maryse - she was _that_ out of touch with wrestling these days... So, he really couldn't blame her.

"Okay, whatever," he said. "Look, you've gotta do me a big favor."

"What might that be?"

"Get your hot little ass to Chicago by tomorrow, Thursday at the latest. I really need your help, Ames, and I can't explain it over the phone." He held his breath as he expected her to flat-out refuse, but it didn't happen.

"Okay... Done."

"Really? Just like that?" he asked, confused.

"Well," Lita explained, "as luck would have it, I was going to be in Chicago, anyway. The Luchagors have a gig there tomorrow night."

A slow grin spread across the man's face. This was working out more beautifully than he could have imagined.


	15. Chapter 15

**_A/N: FINALLY I have an update! I'm SO sorry it took so long to get this chapter up... I hope you guys will still read and review, though! Thanks to caeubona and rory21 for the last reviews. In this new chapter, Edge meets up with Lita... But what about the fact that he LOOKS like CM Punk? Oh, the drama! ;)_**

Edge checked his watch frequently, his nerves beyond frazzled.

Where _was_ she? He'd been here for over an hour, and there was still no sign of her. And he knew he hadn't made a mistake. The seedy bar in which he was sitting was called _The Whisky_. There couldn't be more than one bar by that name in downtown Chicago, so he knew this was it.

"Can I get you a drink?"

The man was suddenly startled by the sound of the bartender's voice. Looking up, he was about to respond when the guy suddenly chuckled.

"Oh, sorry... I just realized I recognize you. You don't drink."

Edge couldn't help but scowl. Yeah, so of course this dumb bartender thought he was CM Punk, 'Mr. Straightedge.' But that didn't mean he wasn't entitled to giving him an answer rather than not having a choice.

Ignoring the man instead of issuing the sharp retort he thought up, he turned away. As he faced the entrance, he suddenly saw her, at long last.

Lita was finally there, and she was following one of the guys in her band, the other two bringing up the rear. And suddenly, Edge found himself simply staring, breathless by the sight of her.

She was no longer a redhead, as she had dyed her hair a very dark shade of brown, which he knew was close to her natural color. Aside from that, there was another change in her appearance in the form of a sleeve-style tattoo of skulls on her left arm. He wondered what had ever possessed her to get it, but found it pretty funny that it was damn similar to one of his own tattoos. Of course, at the moment, he had to bitterly remind himself that there was no way to compare _that_ ink when he was taking residence in stupid Punk's body.

He sat there, outrightly staring at his ex-girlfriend. As he watched her help set up her band's equipment, he was bowled over by a series of thoughts and emotions. It felt strange, but in a _good_ way, to be seeing her in this element. He knew she loved music and had long been wanting to get back into a band.

Swallowing hard, Edge realized the brunette hadn't once looked his way. She was too busy setting up equipment and posing for pictures with fans as it was, but then, she wouldn't know it was him, anyway. When he saw she seemed to be free for a moment, he rose and approached her.

"Amy?"

The woman turned to come face-to-face with him. Her face reflected some surprise for a beat, then recognition.

"Oh, hi... I know you," she said cordially. "You were on ECW when I was still with the WWE... CM Punk, is it? Nice to see you here."

The Rated R Superstar's heart sank. Yet, of course she wouldn't know it was him. He glanced around quickly, making sure nobody was overhearing them. Then, he leaned in slightly closer to whisper into her right ear.

"Amy, it's me... It's _Edge_." He straightened back up and she merely stared blankly at him before bursting into laughter.

"Thanks, that was a good one! I needed a laugh tonight."

He stared into her face, his expression dead serious.

"I'm not kidding," he said. "Remember what I told you - that I'm not myself... I meant that _literally_."

The brunette now eyed him as though he were an alien with eight heads, three eyes and six mouths. A dark veil crossed over her eyes, and she crossed her arms, looking him over with definite suspicion.

"Oh, so you're telling me you're Edge? The man I cheated on Matt Hardy with, fell in love with and all that?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah?" Lita smirked, but that wariness was still present in her hazel eyes. "Prove it."

He nodded again.

"Okay... If I have to, I can and _will_."

The woman stared at him and crossed her arms in an anticipatory manner.

"Shortly after you retired from wrestling," he began, "I surprised you with a trip to Cancun. We had a little cottage right on the beach."

Lita cocked her head in surprise as she listened. It felt odd to be hearing about this from a man who didn't look anything like the one with whom she'd done those things.

"The second night we were there, we brought a blanket out on the beach real late, when no one else was around, and we made love under the stars."

By now, the brunette's face reflected shocked surprise. Her mouth actually flew open. No one but Edge could have known about this - _no one_.

The Rated R Superstar gazed into the hazel orbs of his former girlfriend.

"I gave you a ring," he continued. "Not an engagement ring, but a promise ring. But then, we broke up three short months later." He couldn't hide the sadness from his face, his eyes. He had indeed moved on and found something with Maryse, but it still stung to reflect on this part of his past.

The former diva stared at him, her breath caught in her throat. There was no more denial in her, and, shakily, she found her voice again.

"My God, it really _is_ you!" She opened her mouth again, but no speech momentarily came - until she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Edge!"


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: Thanks to Instant Classic Superstar Pac, Ashleymassarophan1, AshMattXoXo, Angelwilliamsfan, caeubona and rory21 for the last set of reviews. You guys rock! ;) After this chapter, I realize I may have to improvise on another future chapter (because like I did with one of my other fics, I forgot something already happened in a chapter)... Don't mind my rambling - hope you all enjoy this one! :DS**_

Punk looked up sharply at the sudden feel of someone sinking onto the couch beside him. Naturally, it was Maryse, who offered him a big smile as she curled her legs under herself in a graceful manner.

"So, we go rollerblading tomorrow then, no?" her heavily-accented voice spoke.

The man felt momentarily confused but then remembered their conversation from earlier in the day. Inside, he was groaning. He didn't know the first thing about rollerblading, and frankly, he was surprised Edge would, either.

Uncomfortably, he shifted somewhat, half-coughing and half-clearing his throat.

"Um, well... No."

"No?" the blonde echoed, her pretty face contorting into a pout. "Why not?"

"Well, I..." Punk stammered as he tried to concoct a reasonable excuse. "... See, the thing is, I..." He cast his gaze down for a beat, hating for once that he was so bad at lying. Of all the times to have difficulty in it, now had to be just about the worst time! "I'm not really feeling that well." There, that was a great excuse. He only hoped the statuesque diva would buy it.

"Oh... What iz zee matter?" Maryse's slim left hand wended its way up and into his hair, and she affectionately tousled it.

"Err... I think I might be coming down with a cold." That one might actually suffice in preventing the blonde from trying to jump his bones later, when they went to bed... Or so he _hoped_. Yes, Maryse was a gorgeous woman and yes, he was a perfectly normal red-blooded male, but damn it, he wanted to remain faithful to Ashley. It seemed a most unlikely phenomenon, given the situation, but he really, really wanted to stick to his principles.

"Oh, no... Should I be your nurse?" the woman asked. She stood up and over him, and he grew slightly nervous again. What exactly did she have in mind? If she was hiding a 'naughty nurse' outfit somewhere, his resolve could very well crumble away.

"What do you mean?"

Maryse gave him an incredulous look. She almost seemed insulted as she replied.

"I'll take care of you, zat's what I mean!" she exclaimed. "Here, I'll make you zome tea." With that, she turned and scurried off into the kitchen.

Punk was half-relieved and half-surprised at once. Maryse wanted to take care of her man when he was sick... It was actually very sweet. He never would have taken her for the type of woman to be nurturing.

And then, he shook his head to rid himself of those tender thoughts about a woman that wasn't his. Besides, she thought he was Edge. _If she knew I was really CM Punk, she would probably throw the scalding hot tea in my face_! he thought.

However, he had more pressing issues in mind. Maryse was busying herself in the kitchen, and she was even singing. She didn't have a particularly good voice, and in fact, Punk swore that Jillian Hall's was better. But the point was that she was occupied and probably would be for at least several minutes. He decided to slip outside and take a chance at doing something that had been on his mind ever since that morning, in the hotel restaurant.

He flipped open the cell phone that was still clipped to his belt hook, not hesitating for a second. Hastily, he punched out Ashley's cell phone number and pressed the device against his ear. The fact that his heartbeat was going in triple-time was not lost on him.

----------

Ashley awoke suddenly to the sound of her cell phone ringing. She was on the couch, the TV still on and playing some infomercial. Pushing aside her feeling of disorientation, she grabbed the phone, answering without seeing who was calling first. Besides, she was certain it was Punk.

"CM? Is that you? Where the hell _are_ you?" she asked, partly annoyed, worried and relieved all at once.

"Ash... Hi," the voice spoke on the other end.

The blonde frowned and removed the phone from her ear to check the number on the display. It was one she'd never seen before, certainly not belonging to her boyfriend.

"Who is this?"

"I... I know this is gonna sound crazy," the man said, following that with a sigh. "Ashley, it's me... It's CM."

She frowned again, and outrage filled her as she realized she now recognized that voice. Her jaw dropped with shocked surprise. What the hell did he want from her? It was like he was suddenly weirdly obsessed with her!

"You're a liar!" Ashley cried. "You need help!"

"Please... Please let me explain!" he begged.

It almost threw the diva off that she thought she could actually hear a bit of desperation in his voice. But she wouldn't give in just because of that... She _refused_ to.

"This needs to stop, Edge!" she exclaimed, angry. "I don't know what kind of game you're trying to play, but I won't be a pawn in it!" With that, she moved the cell phone away from her ear and pressed the button that ended her calls.

She was seething. Yet, she was still frantic over Punk. Where could he have gone?

----------

Sadly, the Straightedge man made his way back into the house. Luckily, Maryse was still in the kitchen - and, evidently by her singing, she hadn't moved from there while he'd been outside. It really made no difference to him, though.

Punk headed forlornly to the master bedroom, where he climbed into bed. All he wanted was to pull the blanket up over his head and cry.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: I need to apologize for a couple of reasons... First, sorry it's taken SO long for me to update this story! I've been really bad with wring and updating my fics lately. Secondly, I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I don't know why, but I wrote it and then just stopped before I should have. I think I was stuck on a way to make it longer, but I think it works as is. And now, onto better thing... Thanks to Ashleymassarophan1, othgirl92 and rory21 for reviewing the last chapter. You guys rock! :D In this new chapter, Edge (in Punk's skin, lol) hangs out with his ex-girlfriend, Lita. What do you suppose will happen once he's gone back to the house for the night? :-P Enjoy, and please leave your reviews! ;)**_

Edge found himself grinning for the first time in about twenty-four hours. Last night, he'd competed in a match with his new enemy, CM Punk, on Punk's show, ECW, and lost... He'd been in a crummy mood the rest of that night, even while in bed with the beautiful and voluptuous Maryse. Then, that morning, he'd awakened to find himself not only in a strange hotel room with the wrong diva - he'd somehow switched places with Punk - literally.

Now, he sipped a beer and languidly chatted with Amy Dumas at the bar at which her band, The Luchagors, had played. It was definitely a nice change of pace. He was more of a metalhead than into punk music, and the band wasn't that great, but it was a distraction he'd definitely needed. And for the first time in a day, the Rated R Superstar felt normal - like _himself_.

"My God," Lita suddenly said as she put down her drink and merely stared at him. She shook her head, her gaze drinking him in. When he gave her a questioning look, she said, "I just can't believe you look like CM Punk!"

So much for that... There went any semblance of normalcy he'd been feeling. It all went flying out the window upon her statement.

Edge rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, I know." He chugged down the rest of his bottle of beer, not even thinking about how that goody-goody Ashley would no doubt smell the alcohol on him when he returned to the house. He was having too much fun acting and feeling like himself.

"What are you going to do?"

He shook his head, his gaze falling to the now empty bottle in his left hand.

"I don't know," he admitted with despair. "I miss myself," he murmured, and it felt damn weird to utter such words. "I miss Maryse."

The brunette winced at those last three words. It was so very subtle, she knew Edge missed it. But it stung to hear him talk about someone else, even though they'd broken up more than a year prior. The twinge told her she wasn't quite over him. However, he was already upset, so she held her tongue against speaking any of this aloud. The last thing she wanted to do was complicate his life any further than it already was at the moment.

"Might I add," Edge cut in, "I _hate_ Chicago!"

Amy eyed him with sympathy, though she didn't quite get his newest gripe. She thought it was a pretty cool city herself. If only she could show him around the place... Back when she was still with the WWE, they hadn't gotten to really see much of the cities they toured in - other than Mexico City and Belfast. She knew how Edge tended to operate - when he went somewhere strictly for a live event with work, he did what he had to and then went home. And knowing what a homebody he truly was, she knew this odd switch had to be really killing him. He had to miss his home and dogs something awful. Her heart went out to him.

"Hey," she said softly, "it'll all be all right." She placed a hand gently on his.

He just eyed her with the most baleful look she'd ever seen.

"It _will_."

Edge studied his former girlfriend and saw all the quiet confidence on her face, in her lovely hazel eyes. At the same time, he felt strength and warmth emanating from her soft fingers. He believed her... He _had_ to - because if he couldn't believe in Lita, then he had no hope left.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: So, I am FINALLY back with a new chapter! Sorry for taking forever and a day about it! :P Thanks to Angelwilliamsfan, Instant Classic Superstar Pac, Ashleymassarophan1, rory21, justbornawsome and BigRedMachineUK for the last batch of reviews. You guys rock, and I totally appreciate all the comments! :D In this new chapter, there is more of Edge and Ashley fun, and a bit of drama at the end... I'm not sure what I'm going to have come out of that scene next time around, but maybe you guys can help me out with some suggestions? ;) Enjoy!**_

Edge stealthily made his way back to the house. It was about four hours since he'd left, and all seemed quiet. Well, he certainly hoped it would stay that way.

As he let himself in, the man suddenly wondered why he was being so quiet, so secretive... After all, Ashley wasn't his girlfriend - and, even if she were, he'd done nothing wrong. He'd merely met up with someone with whom he shared a lengthy romantic past. And all they'd done was talk. There was no harm in that, was there?

_Besides_, he thought as he stepped over the threshold, _I'm Edge..._ Edge! _Not CM Punk_! It aggravated him to no end to have to remind himself of that very stark _fact_.

He encountered Fluffy in the hallway, the mostly black cat hidden in the deep shadows. They seemed to exchange a weird eye contact for a moment before the cat hissed and then ran away.

Edge shook his head, not really caring. He was beat, and all he really had in mind was going to bed. He remembered where the bedroom was located and headed on over there.

He found Ashley asleep on her side on the bed, curled into a fetal position. The lamp on the bedside table was on, as was the TV, which was droning softly. He eyed her for a beat, noting how sweet and peaceful she looked. Not for the first time, he had to acknowledge that the Punk Princess was quite cute, pretty... But as he continued to look down on her, he felt an incredible amount of loneliness.

He missed Maryse. And he even missed Lita in spite of just having seen her.

The Rated R Superstar sighed softly as he sat on the edge of the bed to remove his shoes. There had to be some way to escape his current predicament, _some_ way to return to his own skin and life.

"CM?"

The fine hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end at the sound of Ashley's voice. Crap, she was awake. He didn't even have to imagine what was going to happen next... And it wouldn't be anything pleasurable, either... Though, unfortunately, Edge could see himself having sex with her and being perfectly fine with it. After all, should she be ready and willing... But it probably wouldn't be the case for her if there was a fight.

"Mmm?" was his only response.

"Where were you?" the little blonde inquired. She sat up and stared at him, bleary-eyed. She knew it had been a few hours that he'd gone out without even telling her.

"Out... Just out."

Ashley frowned, swallowing hard at his reply. This was a very new, extremely unfamiliar feeling for her with him. Since she'd started dating Punk, she had never gotten an uncomfortable, ill at ease sense with him. He spent nearly all his time with her, except when they were on the road with their respective brands. Never once had he given her reason to feel suspicious.

"Out where, though?"

He cast her a cursory glance and shrugged.

"Just... out."

The unsettling sensation in the blonde's stomach intensified as she studied the man. Where was she? Who was this person beside her? What was going on? She truly felt as though she had entered _The Twilight Zone_. And then, she suddenly realized something with startling clarity, and her eyes widened.

"My God! Have you been... drinking?!"

Edge turned to meet Ashley's blue eyes, which were now wide with shock. Likewise, her jaw was hanging slack. She was pretty much eyeing him as though he were an alien from Saturn with four heads and seventeen eyes.

He sighed again and decided to be honest this time.

"Well, actually..." he began. "Yeah, I have."

A very audible gasp escaped the blonde as she stared at him with further shock. She didn't speak for a moment as she couldn't even find the right words.

Edge didn't lower his head in shame, because, frankly, why _should_ he? He knew who he was, and he did occasionally drink. It wasn't like it was _his_ fault that Ashley thought he was CM Punk!

"CM, how could you?" she asked, shaking her head. Her face looked stricken. "I mean, what with your dad... your vow not to ever drink because of him?"

The man merely eyed her. He didn't know what she was talking about, since he and Punk had never been friends... But he could only imagine the scenario involving the Straightedge Superstar's father. He had to have either been an alcoholic or the victim of a drunk driving accident, to his estimation.

He wasn't quite sure of what to say, but he knew he had to say _something_, given the way Ashley was staring at him. He shrugged.

"What happened to him won't happen to me." Edge made sure to be vague in his choice of words.

The little blonde cocked her head and crossed her arms over her chest. She merely eyed him for another full minute, fighting against tears that threatened her - though she was good enough at concealing that from the man beside her. She knew she needed to be strong, firm.

"CM, are you cheating on me?" she finally questioned. Not once did her voice waver.

Edge stared at her. She really did seem to be putting up a very tough front. Yet, in reality, he could see that she was about ten seconds away from breaking down.

"No," he answered. Well, that _was_ the truth... But then, he wasn't even actually her boyfriend, so how _could_ he cheat on her? "I'm not. I swear."

The blonde relaxed a bit, uncrossing her arms as she studied him. He really did seem sincere, and she let out a little sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank God!"

Edge could literally feel the tension in the room dissipate... and the next thing he knew, Ashley was in his arms, kissing him. He had no choice but to reciprocate.


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: Thanks to Angelwilliansfan, Ashleymassarophan1 and rory21 for the reviews of the last chapter. You guys definitely rock! ;) I apologize for taking so long to update, but I'm back now with a new chapter that I hope you'll find very entertaining. :) Enjoy, and please leave a review! :D**_

In the morning, Punk awoke with a start as everything came rushing back to him in droves. He and Edge... the strange transformation... He didn't recognize his surroundings and remembered where he was upon seeing Maryse laying beside him. His heart sank.

Foolishly, he had been hoping that when he awoke this morning, he would discover that everything had been a mere figment of his imagination, that he would awaken in his own bed, with _his_ girlfriend beside him.

In spite of the reality that was his current life, Punk still felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Quietly, he pushed out of the bed and walked to the adjoining bathroom at the farthest corner. He didn't dare glance down at any part of his body or even run a hand through his hair... Fear coursed through him at the thought of doing so, as surely the gestures would kill off any small spark of hope he had left. Besides, he was patient enough to wait until he was standing in front of the bathroom mirror.

He reached the lavatory, flipped on the light and reluctantly peered into the mirror above the sink... And once again, his heart plummeted. He was _still_ in Edge's skin! Damn it... Why should he feel at all surprised, though? The Straightedge man seriously wanted to cry.

Sadly, he left the bathroom and returned to the bed. If he got his wish - well, his _second_ wish, as his first would be for all to be back to normal again - he would be just able to lay in that bed with the covers pulled over his head, to sleep the day away.

Maryse was awake. She sat up and gave him a sleepy smile, seemingly oblivious to his inner turmoil.

"_Bon jour_," she murmured.

"Morning," he muttered. He really hated this. He wanted _his_ bed, _his_ body... _his_ Ashley.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Fine," he replied. It wasn't like he cared.

Maryse gave him an odd look as she rose from the bed, but he didn't seem to notice. She realized that Edge hadn't seemed like himself over the past twenty-four hours and wondered what had happened. It was almost as though he were suffering from some form of male PMS. She shook off the thought and sauntered off to the bathroom.

Punk eyed the blonde's back as she retreated, relieved that she apparently didn't sleep in the nude. Jeez, how awkward _that_ would be.

His thoughts back on one Ashley Massaro, the man picked up the cell phone on the nightstand beside him. He wasn't familiar with this particular model, but he was handy enough with technological gadgets that he could figure his way through it.

Hastily, he got into his e-mail on the mobile device, effortlessly logging in. He had so many things to say to his girlfriend, and he was quick to type out an e-mail to her. He just hoped she wouldn't think he was crazy. That would just... suck.

Punk suddenly heard Maryse singing in the shower and cringed. She was utterly tone deaf to the point that Jillian actually sounded like Celine Dion in comparison. He wished he had a pair of earplugs to drown out the offensive sound. However, he was done with the e-mail, and he clicked to send it off. Now, all he could do was wait.

----------

Ashley yawned as she logged onto her boyfriend's laptop in Chicago. She wanted to do a quick MySpace blog and then check her e-mail. She wasn't really the jealous or possessive type, but she thought she would have actually checked Punk's e-mail if she'd had his password.

She shuddered at that thought. When had she become that type of girlfriend? She had no reason not to trust him... Right?

The blonde was saddened by her mental response to that question.

_I'm not sure_...

She shook her head, squinting her eyes shut as though to rid herself of such negative thoughts.

She typed out a fast blog on her MySpace page, read it over as though to proofread it, and then sent it. Her fans were great, and so loyal to her. So she felt she owed them these words. They'd been so patient, as it had been over a month since she had posted her last blog.

Ashley decided to forego reading her messages for the time being, instead opting to go directly to her regular e-mail. Quickly, she logged in and scanned through her inbox, which contained many, many unread messages. She yawned again upon the realization that several were nothing but spam.

One of the newest ones captured her interest as she noticed it was from Punk. Her eyebrow raised questioningly. Why would her boyfriend feel the need to send her an e-mail today - this morning, at that - when he was right here with her?

And then, as she opened it, a strange, eerie feeling ran through her. Before she even read the words, something extremely odd caught her attention...

The time on the e-mail read 10:44AM. How was it possible this message had been sent _that_ late in the morning when it was nearly an hour earlier right here in Chicago...?

_**End Chapter 19**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: Aww, I'm afraid I waited so very long to update this story that only a couple of you are still reading. :( But still, huge thanks to i luv hardy and rory21 for reviewing the last chapter. Here is the new one, hope you enjoy and leave more reviews! ;) This is actually the last one I have laying around at the moment, so it'll take me some figuring out as to how to proceed with the next one - and of course, Ashley has to get that email from Punk and come to realize just what's going on! I'll make it good, I promise! :D**_

Punk laid back in the bed with the covers pulled up to his bare chest and felt anything but comfortable. More aptly, he pretty much felt like a schoolboy - awkward, gangly, confused, and generally all sorts of lost.

He didn't want to be here... He was in Edge's bed, in _Edge's_ bedroom, in _Edge's_ house, in _Edge's_ city, complete with _Edge's_ dogs... With _Edge's_ decor, and, probably worst of all, with _Edge's_ girlfriend.

At the moment, Maryse was in the small bathroom adjoined to the master bedroom. She seemed to be taking a bit of time getting ready for bed, but then again, she was a high maintenance type of woman.

Punk sighed uneasily. Oh, sure, the French-Canadian blonde was very easy on the eyes, but that alone got old in a hurry. She was brash, bitchy and a bit moody, going from furious to ecstatic in mere moments. He shuddered as he recalled what had transpired mere hours earlier, when they had first arrived at the house. He supposed the diva's change of mood was normal, given the circumstances, yet it still freaked him out. Ashley was _nothing_ like that.

Punk's heart sank at the thought of his sweet, adorable petite Punk Princess. God, how he missed her. And he worried about how she must be faring around now... Knowing Edge, even though he didn't even like Ashley, he would probably be all over her. He had to literally swallow back the bile he felt rising in his throat upon that thought. It terrified him.

"Here I am!"

Maryse's sultry voice suddenly brought him back to his senses as she sauntered out from the bathroom and made a beeline for the bed. He swallowed hard, dreading that he had no choice but to share a bed with her. If he didn't, there would be questions, and he worried that if there were questions, he might end up blurting the whole damn truth to her. And _then_ what? He knew the blonde was sly and cunning, and, judging by the slap she'd laid on Vickie Guerrero when she'd crashed the General Manager's wedding to Edge, she could hit extra hard to boot. He did _not_ want to rile her up in any way, especially after that earlier incident with the Lita answering machine message.

"Yeah, I see," he muttered between slightly clenched teeth. He didn't even want to look at her, but he did... Hell, he was a guy, and for some dumb reason, he was unable to tear his eyes away. And how _could_ he, given what she was wearing... or _barely_ wearing?

Maryse grinned as she lingered on the opposite side of the huge bed. She was clad in a sexy black lace baby doll with a ton of her generous cleavage exposed. The panty part of her lingerie was a tiny string bikini, quite low-rise and very high cut on the sides. Her left hand came up to toy at some of the lace on the sexy bustier part of the outfit in an enticing manner.

"So... We have a little fun tonight, no?" she said in a husky voice as she started to crawl seductively across the mattress to him. She was grinning hugely, sexily tossing her platinum hair back.

"No," he managed to croak out. He was somewhat dismayed to realize his throat was bone-dry. Why, he didn't quite know - it wasn't like he was literally drooling.

She gave him an incredulous look and sat up, her legs tucked beneath her. She crossed her dainty arms over her breasts and merely stared at him. It was as though she were waiting for an explanation.

Punk was fully prepared to give her one. He didn't even have to cast through her mind this time, and it came rapidly.

"I'm still not feeling too well," he murmured. "I'm feeling a bit nauseous... Sick to my stomach." He grimaced for emphasis.

Maryse's expression cleared into one of sympathy in an instant.

"Ooh, you poor baby!" she cried. All of her sexiness - well, not quite, because when could Maryse Ouellet ever lose _all_ of her sexiness? - melted away as she got into mothering or nursing mode. "I take care of you, don't worry, baby." She placed one slim hand on his face, feeling his skin for a fever. "You don't feel warm," the tall blonde noted. "But your skin, it feels clammy."

The man in the bed closed his eyes, partly with relief that she seemed to believe he was sick. Now, if only she would just completely leave him alone, he might be able to actually sleep in this strange place. At least Edge's dogs were steering clear of him - not that he disliked dogs, but he knew they knew he wasn't their master.

"I get the thermometer!" Maryse exclaimed, leaping off the bed.

As she sprinted out of the room, Punk decided to try a tactic. He shut his eyes, kept his breathing even and regular and didn't move. If the diva came back to think he was really asleep, it was the next best thing to playing dead.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: Sorry for the long gap between updates... I hope everyone is still here with me to read and review this story! Speaking of reviews, thanks to vampiregirl2009, Ainat, i luv hardy, BigRedMachineUK, rory21 and Ashleymassarophan1 for the last set of them. You guys really are awesome! ;) Here's more of Punk/Edge or Edge/Punk as well as your favorite Punk Princess and the high maintenance Maryse! Enjoy, and leave reviews again, please! :D**_

As Ashley heard Punk - or the man she'd _thought_ was Punk - returning to the room, she acted swiftly and shut down the computer. Her blood ran strangely cold as she thought of the possibilities... How could that e-mail be a reality? She knew it was possible for the time to be set up wrong in one's account - but at the same time, she knew she had it set correctly in her e-mail.

"Hey," he said as he entered through the doorway.

"Hey," she replied, her focus barely even there. She couldn't help it as a million different thoughts went zipping through her head at once. She suddenly couldn't help but wonder with whom he'd met up that other night. However, if her seemingly irrational fears proved correct, that really didn't matter.

"What are you up to?"

Ashley bolted her head up this time to meet those dark eyes... The eyes that she'd believed all this time to be those of the man she loved... Well, oddly and impossibly, they still _were_ those beloved eyes - only now, she suddenly noticed they were different. There was no sparkle in them as the man looked upon her. Instead, they bore a certain... hardness. She shuddered slightly, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Hello? You there?" he asked, stepping closer to her and waving a hand before her face.

"Yeah," the Punk Princess replied. She blinked, attempting to best appear normal and natural. She even smiled for added emphasis. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." She added, "I guess I'm still a little tired."

The man eyed her strangely. He wished he were somewhere else, not here in Chicago - a city he hated - and not with Ashley Massaro. The girl was totally annoying. And, by the looks of it, even though she seemed calm and quiet at the moment, she appeared to be a basketcase. Edge didn't like it... No, he didn't like it one bit. His only two bits of saving grace were seeing Lita and the fact that his cat allergy had seemingly been obliterated thanks to CM Punk's body.

"We have a houseshow to go to," he reminded the blonde. Thank goodness he would be getting out of this stinking hellhole Punk called home. He couldn't wait to get out on the road and into the arena. He would try and make it a point to bump into Maryse. If she would listen, he would try his damndest to explain everything to her. The chances were great that she wouldn't believe him, but he _had_ to at least try.

Ashley nodded and perked up a bit.

"Oh, right." The truth was, thanks to all the odd things that had occurred the past couple of days, she had all but forgotten about the houseshow for that night. This was good news, and she would like to be around other people now... It would be good, especially since she had the most insane suspicions about the man in the room with her. Who was he? Who was he... Really? She swallowed hard at that thought, because, again, it was insane.

"Well, I guess we'd better get a move on, then."

The little blonde nodded almost absently. Her thoughts were suddenly wrapped up on how she was going to re-check her e-mail on her cell phone when they were out. She wanted to read it again and respond. The only problem was... Would _he_ reply to _her_ when he possibly had a cell phone he didn't know? Punk was okay with technological gadgets, though certainly not an expert.

* * *

As he and Maryse were just leaving the airport, Punk felt his - or, rather, _Edge's_ - cell phone vibrate at his hip. It was startling only because he'd barely gotten any calls sine this insanity started. He reached down instinctively for it.

He shifted his gaze over to Maryse. The statuesque blonde didn't seem to notice, as she was currently distracted by her two large wheeled suitcases. She was having a bit of trouble maneuvering them, and Punk took that as a blessing. However, he couldn't exactly answer the call or text message just now. Still, he pulled the cell phone up to take a quick glimpse at the display before slipping it back in its holder on his hip.

A somewhat unsure expression crossed his face, and his heart rate instantly increased. It was a text message, and according to the display, Ashley was the sender.

Punk's thoughts were intruded upon suddenly as Maryse began to mutter incessantly in French. One of her suitcases had dropped, and he could only guess that she had to be cursing. In addition, she was flailing her arms around in a gesture of annoyance. As he watched, she turned her focus on him.

"Well? Help me!" she demanded. Her dark eyes flashed dangerously.

Not wanting to be on the receiving end of the diva's wrath again, the Straightedge superstar jumped into action. Once the suitcase was back upright, however, the blonde merely eyed him expectantly, only her other suitcase in her grasp.

Punk sighed, hoping it was inaudible to her. The message was loud and clear. Maryse fully expected _him_ to wheel her second suitcase. And what the hell was up with this dame? They were only going to be on the road three days until they were to return home again! Then again, this _was_ Maryse Ouellet, no doubt the most high maintenance diva in the entire WWE by far.

By the time the two entered the arena for the night's houseshow, Punk felt as though a weight were lifted off his shoulders. He would be rid of the French-Canadian, at least for awhile. He wondered what was on the agenda for him that night and suddenly remembered that that wouldn't matter... After all, he was in Edge's skin.

"Hey, Edge!" he heard a voice shout as he was searching for the locker room.

Inwardly, Punk groaned. It was Chavo Guerrero. The man came right over, a smirk on his face. "Vickie wants to see you in her office pronto."

"Fine... Let me just get settled in my locker room."

"No," Chavo cut in, "_now_."

Punk somehow refrained from rolling his eyes. Well, this was just great! Edge had inadvertently pulled him into all of his own problems. He could only imagine what Vickie Guerrero had in store for him after he'd dumped her at the altar at their wedding.

"Where's her office?" he asked.

Chavo pointed the way.

"Fourth door to the right down this hallway."

Punk gave him a look before departing for the SmackDown GM's office. He felt as though he were walking the last mile.


	22. Chapter 22

**_A/N: Hey, guys! I'm finally back with a new chapter after a few months of some writer's block. Sorry for the delay! Thanks to vampiregirl2009 Wolfgirl77769, Instant Classic Superstar Pac, rory21 and Ainat for the last set of reviews. I hope I haven't lost you guys! I have some more ideas for this story again, so hopefully the next time there won't be such a gap between chapters. Hope you enjoy this new one! :)_******

In vast contrast to how she looked the night of the failed wedding, Vickie Guerrero smirked as she stood facing him. There was a definite gleam of hatred in her dark eyes as she spoke.

"Well, well, well... My dear ex-fiance, very good of you to stop by."

Punk, although exasperated, didn't show his true emotions.

"Chavo told me you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, of course," the General Manager said, folding her hands and smiling deviously. "I've got plans for you tonight, Edge... _Big_ plans."

"Just tell me what to expect already," the man said, this time showing his lack of patience. He knew the woman was enjoying this, but it was just his bum luck she had no clue she was punishing the wrong man.

Vickie's smile vanished and was replaced by a look of anger.

"You'll be competing in a match tonight," she declared, pointing a finger at him. "And it will be no holds barred."

Punk took in everything and nodded.

"That's fine." He eyed her expectantly, but the matronly woman didn't offer him anymore details. Then, "So, who's my opponent?"

Vickie's expression hardened even more, and she fully scowled at him.

"That's for _me_ to know and you to find out. And don't forget to have your little floozy at ringside during the match."

Inwardly, Punk groaned as he rolled his eyes. Of course the GM wasn't going to indulge him by informing him whom he would be facing. Maryse in his corner during the match, however? Although he didn't like the French-Canadian diva, that might just work out in his favor. At least she could help him somehow, if by no other means than distracting his opponent with her stunning looks.

"Don't you dare roll your eyes at me, Edge!" Guerrero snapped. "You're the one who messed things up - _you_! Do you know how badly you humiliated me?"

Punk eyed her, tired of this situation. What did he care about all the Vickie and Edge drama? He sighed.

"I have a bit of an idea," he said.

"No, you don't!" the woman screeched. "But I'm going to teach you a little about what happens when you cross Vickie Guerrero." Then, the smile made a triumphant return. "Enjoy your match out there. Now, get the hell out of my office!"

He turned around, fully prepared to leave.

"Wait!"

Punk turned around reluctantly, only to be met with a massive slap to the face. His head actually rocked to the side with the force of the blow.

"_Now_ you can go," the General Manager stated, a smug, satisfied look on her face.

Dejectedly, the Straightedge superstar obeyed. Then, as he left the office and stepped out into the hallway, two very familiar forms appeared in his line of vision. He couldn't help but stare as he stood there, a pain forming and growing steadily deeper inside him as he watched.

Ashley and Edge - in _his_ body, no less - were just entering the arena. They were fumbling with luggage as they were coming through the doors of the arena, and Punk's heart damn near stopped when the diva suddenly looked up and saw him.

The Punk Princess wore the oddest expression on her face as she eyed him. There was a definite sadness in her eyes, and her lips parted ever so slightly. Her gaze was steady and locked on his, and he suddenly wondered if she had seen his email.

Strange as it was seeing his own body passing him right by, Punk was nevertheless powerless to think of anything or anyone else but Ashley at that moment. _His_ Ashley. His mouth ran dry as she kept on walking past him, but then, she turned her head to give him one last glance.

What was that he'd detected on her face? Longing?

Punk stood there as though rooted to the spot until the diva and the nemesis in his body vanished from his sight. Then, he started to finally head back to his locker room when he was suddenly met en route by Maryse. She appeared frantic.

"Edge? What's dis I hear about you fighting Big Show? Is zis true?" There was clear worry in the blonde's brown eyes.

So, that was who his opponent was for the night? The Big Show? Okay, the man was huge - colossal, actually - but he could handle that. At the moment, all he could really focus on was Ashley, and the way she'd looked at him mere moments prior.

"Don't worry," he told Maryse almost absently. "I got this." He patted her on the upper back. "I got this."


End file.
